September means back to school here. Over the summer we had a number of odds and ends to clear out of our store room, along with a handful of donations so with Luli's help, we made little gift bags for the students to start off their school year. They included notebooks, pencils, scissors, markers and such in a re-useable drawstring bag.
We also were gifted with a number of second-hand football uniforms, including shirts, shorts, pants and jackets! It's so nice to be able to pass these along to our friends!
Through some partners in Texas, we were invited to a conference for pastors in Durres. Not only were our hearts encouraged meeting so many wonderful people, but we came away with new connections and ideas. Special thanks to Hannah and Mari Grace for making sure our kids were fed and alive the two nights we were away!
We have really enjoyed inviting guests to visit around the firepit. We bought this several years ago, but only since Jeta has opened have we felt like we've had "personal" outdoor space. Here, we're introducing our friends to the concept of s'mores, the art of a perfectly toasted marshmallow, and all their sticky sweetness.
My involvement with The Chosen Volunteer Translation Teams slowed over the summer, but earlier this month the various language team leaders gathered for a group call and time of prayer. It's surreal to hear their voices and see faces when so much of our communication are written messages. We are gearing up for the release of Season Three in just over a month!
While Mom was here in August, we found these puppets in deep storage. The kids LOVED the puppet, though one nearly three-year-old was NOT sure what to think!
I marvel at the improvement we're witnessing in the kids' sports skills since we've added a place for them to play. With this comes better coordination, and eventually (we hope) the ability to learn to play on a team, problem solve and think under pressure. Above they are playing volleyball with our portable pickle-ball net which works better for their shorter stature. Below, you'll see we added the hardware and presence of a more permanent regulation volleyball net.
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| Above, we are breaking down the mounded dirt and filling in the edges to have a level path to the side-access points for both the basketball court (left) and kalceto (right). |
Earlier this summer we knocked down a house on the sloping property between our home and Jeta. Some of the debris was trucked away but a lot of debris remained and the ground was never properly smoothed or leveled out (mostly because of time and it was just so HOT this summer) while we proceeded with pouring the volleyball court and installed the playground. As the weather has become more pleasant, I have found a lot of enjoyment in working a few hours a week at removing large rocks, bricks and tiles or breaking up the ground and moving dirt. Nathan was a good sport to help with his muscle by shoveling and moving wheelbarrows of dirt. Slowly, slowly the lot is looking more finished. My goal is to have it all finished by Thanksgiving when we have some visitors coming to help plant trees and bushes!
The playground is getting really close to being ready for pouring gravel! We need to remove a bit more debris in the corner of the lot, but we also have had some concrete retention borders delivered that need to be installed before we can pour the gravel. In the meantime, the playground is constantly in use every afternoon until dark! I love that the village kids have a place to gather off the street that provides sensory input and healthy activity, not to mention builds a sense of community!
The second Sunday of September Nathan was asked to speak at the International Church in Tirana. It's always an honor to be asked! We enjoyed making some new friends after the service, followed by lunch with old friends.
We often have to problem-solve solutions for items we can't find in shops here. After nearly thirty minutes of walking up and down the parts aisle of the hardware store, Nathan created a mounting system for a volleyball net that can be easily hung when needed or removed for basketball. Below, Luli and Mari Grace show that Nathan calculated the height correctly within a few inches!
My new friend Claudia (whom I met at the pastor's conference in Durres) gifted me the book below. Ellie snatched it though before I could get my hands on it and she's been enjoying this collection of short biographical stories. I love it when Ellie reads!
In kids club we're making our way through the book of Judges.
Any guesses as to this week's craft? Yep! Those are Samson wigs, ha ha.
Our colleagues' daughters celebrated birthdays within a a day of each other so we celebrated with a group party after kids club!
Some birthday party games are universal!
On Saturday, the 24th, we hosted the kids from the Hope Center for sandwiches up on the rooftop.
Then we had a community-wide showing of the premiere of the Albanian dubbing of the 2019 film Pilgrim's Progress.
The organization that sponsored the dubbing also paid for the publication of these two versions of the book, one for children, one for youth and adults.
Every week Ellie joins Tiffany to pick up their friend, Lisjana, and bring her to church. Ellie loves this special 'girl time' time with her 'sisters.'
Luis started football school this month and had these banners made listing his approach. Nathan designed the logo for our football club.
Our partners at Pack Saddle Fellowship gifted us funds to buy benches for the playground, but they were generous so that we were able to also buy these for the end of the field where we'd often find folks standing. They are getting a lot of use already!
Nathan teaches a basic science and math class once per week at VT Albania. Below, he's teaching a lesson on estimation using unifix cubes.
For a few weeks this month, the power would go out for a few hours each morning. We expect this to happen more frequently with the energy crisis forecasted for this winter. We are already cutting back our usage as we can (taking short showers, line drying all our laundry, refraining from using the oven as much as possible), though the rate increases don't officially go into effect until October 1.
Below, Reni continues on with his math class aided by this solar-powered lantern during one of the power cuts.
I'm going to close with this video that encapsulates how I'll remember this month. It demonstrates the realization of some dreams and growth in relationships.
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